Not Exactly The After Party I had In Mind...

After some lush grub at Aqua and a great night out with chums I wasn't expecting to get a call out to work on the way home this morning. Spending the afternoon at sunny Littleton trying to locate the cause of the works failure wasn't quite the after party I had planned... but we got it sorted eventually, having deployed all the tricks of the trade to find the fault. I finally made it home just as the sun began to set. I've had better Saturdays. It was a good Friday night out though. Didn't really feel up for it before hand, what with all the turmoil at work but I'm glad I went. It was a good laugh.

The Tape Held...

and no new tape was required elsewhere... A better, less hectic day all round. Actually managed to get some work done.

My calf muscles are still really tight and sore but easing. Should be okay by the weekend and hopefully an easy run in the mountains.

Back To Work With A Vengance

Talk about coming back to fires to fight on all fronts. The problems didn't stop coming in. Everyone more urgent than the previous. With much 'sticky tape' we got things fixed but it highlights just how thinly my team is spread - I say my team, it's not really 'my' team, but we are spread thin. With the restructure and reduction in numbers we are only going to be spread more thinly - and we can only stretch so far.... And don't mention my 'zero policy' inbox. My email backlog is going to take a week to clear.

Here's hoping tomorrow won't be so shitty...

Needed The Break..

But all good things must come to an end. I've hardly given a thought to the turmoil that is work during the last five days and I feel all the better for it - apart from my quads and calf muscles which are still quite sore.

I've taken it all very restful today. An easy half hour on the exercise bike to gently work the sore muscles. Harvested the last of this years chilli crop and pruned the plants back ready to over winter and harvested the last of the tomatoes. Might make some more tomato chutney as the latch was lush.

Ah well, back to the grindstone...

Home

The journey home was pretty good. The plane didn't crash and there were no delays - result. Feeling really knackered though. Going to sleep well tonight me thinks.

Now I'm not really one for getting overly excited about race medals these days. The first couple are nice but after that they don't really mean much. In the case of yesterday's race though, I'm quite proud of myself. It was a war of attrition out there and I was a little worried I might not make it - Strava (gps track now posted) does actually prove I went the distance. And it's quite a nice looking medal...

More details of the race itself. I took it out too hard. There was a cut off at the far end of the course, 15k out - and was slightly worried of missing it! As it turned out I had more time than I estimated and so should have gone out a little easier. That said I would still have died but maybe not in such a calamitous fashion.

The low point was on the second to last climb. A long uppy-downy climb to Slieve Commedagh. Having made the decision to carry on after the second descent of Slieve Bearnagh I realised, a few metres ahead, that I was only just able to keep pace with a group of elderly women walkers. Thankfully I did manage to burn them off eventually...

The high light of my race was the descent off the final summit, Slieve Donard, the highest in the Mournes. Looking through various other Stravas, my split holds up well to runners finishing an hour ahead! If only I had done some training...

And for information, Channel 4 were out filming the race, to be shown sometime in November. There probably isn't much likelihood I'll make the final cut but it's probable the second woman will.

Well That's Me Wrecked

That was one of the hardest race I've ever run. 35km with 2850m of ascent. And me such an under trained, unfit lard arse. I very nearly called it quits after the descent from penultimate penultimate ascent. The head said I'm too knackered to continue, there being a lower altitude way back from where I was but the heart said sod that. Man the hell up.

I'm glad I completed but by god I suffered. 100th place. A late afternoon nap awaits - especially since I got almost no sleep last night with some bloke in the dorm snoring for Britain.

36, Not The Magic Number...

but it is the number of hours till the Mourne Skyline Mountain trail race. I have the route memorised - can you believe that a compass isn't on the compulsory kit list! It is on the 'might be required at the race directors discretion' but not on the actual required list. There are aid stations providing water and the midway station provides energy food - it'll almost be exactly like running the Bristol to Bath Marathon - except for the rough, rocky ground underfoot and the 11,000 feet of ascent (although I've measured the ascent and reckon it'll only be around 9,000 feet). The forecast looks Okay. A bit wet but the sun may come out to play later in the day...

On The Upside...

So Saturday's orienteering was a bit rubbish. To be fair to myself, it was really only two controls that did for me. One cost perhaps two minutes. The other, the best part of ten. Apart from that I did navigate quite accurately. May be next time...

On the upside, this weeks Mourne Skyline race is going to be expectation free. There's no pressure - other than getting around before the cut off... Plus I have five days away from work - that's a pretty big upside in my book in the current climate of fear and uncertainty! 

So I think I Might....

Make it to the Orienteering Saturday. High Meadow. I like the area - the last time I was there I had f&(ked up by control number five.... Here's to hoping I might make it to six and beyond....

It's not long now until the Mourne Skyline race and I am so not ready for it I think I might very well die. Still, I'm looking forward to it on the grounds that I will be far far far away from the shambles that is the restructuring at work. It will be the first time in many many months that I will have turned the work phone off - and rest assured it will being staying off for the entire time. Having it's very own holiday - if you will - resting at the bottom of a very deep drawer...

Almost Finished With Trellech...

Lovely way to spend a Sunday. Another few hours spent traipsing though the woods of Trellech Common. The good news, the courses are - barring any late issues - planned. It has been a journey of discovery that's for sure!

I've tried my best to avoid the worst of the brambles and brashings but without keeping the courses on the main tracks there's going to be a few rough bits...

And don't forget (cause you'll need 'em), you can get your GaiterBlades(tm) from MadRunner.com for just $99.99 - brambles are so yesterday....

Gripping Stuff As The Heating Comes Back On....

Finally got the heating fixed. The brand new shiny red expansion vessel is doing its thing - absorbing the expansion of hot water that is, not actually expanding. The downside, the safety cut off valve has decided to break so that's next on the list of things to repair. What will be next to break? Oh yeah, I forgot, the rear shocks on the car need to be replaced but at least today's tyre change - front and back - will keep me from sliding off the road, giving me the grip as we head into winter. Going to be an expensive month...

Finally Found The Source Of The Pressure Drop...

I've been seeing the water pressure in the boiler drop for a month or so but haven't been able - until now - to find where it was leaking. Turns out it was due to a rusty expansion tank. And on finding said rusty bit it gave way as I examined it causing much water to p!$$ out all over the floor. Luckily I had a voluminous receptacle within reach as I stuck my finger into the hole - like the little boy and the dyke - ooh, er matron. Total disaster was avoided but I have a feeling things might start to get expensive. What else might be reaching end of life within the dark depths of the boiler? Hopefully I can get away with just replacing the expansion tank. Fingers crossed.

On a lighter note, I managed to get over to Trellech and I think - touch wood - that I'm within touching distance of everything being sorted...

FFS!

That's Fan Fawr Saturday.... Didn't have a terrible run. Wasn't great either. At least I didn't feel ill this week.

I took the direct line up. I took the direct line down - see my Strava. I can't really comment on whether it worked or not because I am so far from fit it's difficult to gauge where'd I have finished if I had taken the conventional route. Will probably try it again next year...

After the race a few of us went for a pootle up Corn Du. Well after an hour and a half drive to get there it feels wrong to only run a mile up a hill and a mile back down again... Not a bad way to spend an autumnal Saturday afternoon. We even got some sunshine!

Back over to Trellech tomorrow...